The University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) is committed to the challenge of transforming its culture and environment to develop clinical and translational science as a distinct discipline. UW approaches this challenge with the unique perspective afforded by the ongoing transformation of the Medical School to a School of Medicine and Public Health, which mandates creation of a health delivery system based on effective application of current knowledge by turning it into current practice. Achieving this goal is facilitated by the strength UW derives from a strong and committed partnership forged by its Health Science Schools and Marshfield Clinic. To undertake the necessary re-engineering of research activity at UW, the University formed the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR), which will serve as the vehicle to achieve the transformation of the clinical and translational research enterprise. Coupling a catalytic investment of new resources with the integration, synergy and amplification of existing resources, the Institute will forge substantive changes in the research effort and effect fundamental change in the environment and culture for clinical and translational research at UW. The goal of the ICTR is to create an environment that facilitates transformation of research at the University into a continuum extending from investigation to discovery to translation into practice. The primary focus to achieve this end is development of an academic home for the discipline of clinical and translational science, which is conducive to the creation and support of effective interdisciplinary research teams. Essential to fulfillment of this objective is building upon clinical research training programs to develop a cadre of multidisciplinary biomedical and behavioral scientists capable of accelerating translation of research findings into evidence-based policies and practices, which will improve health in the United States. Such outcomes will be facilitated by providing investigators at UW readily available critical resources, including informatics tools, biostatistical support and core technologies. The resultant innovative discoveries of research teams will be translated to health practice via a novel ICTR community partnership and through an extensive well-developed clinical network in Wisconsin. These initiatives will successfully create a new culture at UW, which will fulfill the "Wisconsin Idea," a concept that links the efforts at the University to the well-being of the residents of Wisconsin and communities beyond.